Carton having article stabilizing means



July 28, 1970 I J. MOERS ET AL 3,521,312

CARTON HAVING ARTICLE STABILIZING MEANS Filed May 29, 1968 7 2 Sheets-Sheet l 200 I90 I70 I30 I40. I80 /270 280 290 "F 1/ E9 [32 m 33$" 275; Haw 9 33.4 v{Mg 7, 8 [I i 2 IO 3124 as 252; I7 lsgm I8 -20 21 28 29 I3 I6 mvewmas: M j g pn ai i w K July 28, 1970 J- MOERS ET AL 5 L CARTON HAVING ARTICLE STABILIZING MEANS Filed May 29, 1968 United States Patent 3,521,812 CARTON HAVING ARTICLE STABILIZING MEANS Jack Moers, Walnut Creek, and Joseph M. Sienk, Richmond, Calif., assignors to The Mead Corporation, a corporation of Ohio Filed May 29, 1968, Ser. No. 733,007 Int. Cl. B65d /10 US. Cl. 229-39 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carton of the folding box type for packaging individual confectionery products such as pies and the like is provided with stabilizing means particularly adapted for engaging the flange of a tin packaged therein. The carton includes main top and bottom, and spaced side walls foldably interconnected to form a tubular structure together with end closure means incorporating a stabilizing panel foldably joined to an end edge of one of the main panels such as the bottom panel and a closure panel foldably joined to the other main panel such as the top panel and arranged to overlap the stabilizing panel when such panels are in their normal closed positions. One or more positioning flaps foldably joined to the edge of the stabilizing panel remote from the panel to which it is foldably joined normally lie in flat face contacting relationship with the panel to which the closure panel is foldably joined and are configured so as to bow the stabilizing panel inwardly. A stabilizing slot, formed in the stabilizing panel, serves to receive the flange of the pie tin disposed Within the package and thus contributes to the stability of the carton.

If individual pies disposed in flanged tins are packaged in ordinary folding boxes, the pies tend to jostle about within the package and are likely to be damaged when handled and shipped. Furthermore, when individual confectionery items such as pies are packed individually in folding boxes and stacked one atop another, a substantial crushing force results and may cause damage to the packaged items.

According to this invention, a stabilizing panel is foldably joined to an end edge of one main panel of a folding box and one or more positioning flaps foldably joined to the outer edge of the stabilizing panel serve to engage the inner surface of a closure panel foldably joined to the other main panel and disposed in generally parallel relationship with the stabilizing panel. The positioning flaps ordinarily are curved along their outer edges and hence serve to bow the stabilizing panel inwardly. A stabilizing slot preferably is formed in the stabilizing panel and is disposed to receive the flange of a pie tin. Thus the pie tin is securely held in position and movement of the tin and its contents relative to the carton is prevented. According to a feature of the invention, web structure is arranged to interconnect each end of the stabilizing panel with the adjacent end of each side wall of the carton and serves to seal the carton and also acts as stabilizing means whereby the stabilizing panel is anchored at its ends.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one end of a carton constructed according to the invention and showing the parts in the positions they occupy during an initial portion of a carton closing operation; FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank from which the carton of FIG. 1 is formed; FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but shows the folding operation in a more advanced stage; FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 3 and depicts the carton end substantially 3,521,812 Patented July 28, 1970 closed; and in which FIG. 5 is a cross sectional fragmentary View taken along the line designated 5-5 in F1 G. 4.

With reference to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates one of a pair of main panels such as the bottom panel of the carton. Side walls 2 and 3 are foldably joined to main panel 1 along fold lines 4 and 5 respectively. Fold lines 4 and 5 constitute side edges of bottom panel 1. The numeral 6 designates the other main panel such as the top panel of the carton and the numerals 7 and 8 denote the side edges thereof. Side wall 3 is foldably joined to main top panel 6 along the fold line '7. A glue flap 9 foldably joined along fold line 10 to side wall 2 constitutes means whereby the right hand edge of main panel 6 is secured adjacent fold line 10 to the side wall 2 to form a tubular structure by means of glue indicated by stippling in FIG. 2.

End closure means for the tubular arrangement is constructed according to this invention and comprises stabilizing panel 11 foldably joined along end edge 12 to main panel 1. Positioning flaps 13 and 14 are foldably joined at the edge 15 to stabilizing panel 11 which edge is remote from main panel 1. Preferably, stabilizing panels 13 and 14 are independent of each other in that they are separated by a V-shaped notch or slot 16 and the outer edges 17 and 18 of positioning flaps 13 and 14 are configured in a predetermined manner according to a feature of the invention whereby an inward bowing of stabilizing panel 11 is achieved as is apparent from FIG. 1.

For stabilizing the ends of stabilizing panel 11 and for sealing the corners of the carton, web structure generally designated at 19 and 20 is foldably joined to the ends 21 and 22 of the stabilizing panel 11. Web structures 19 and 20 are foldably joined to the ends of side walls 2 and 3 along fold lines 23 and 24 respectively and each web structure is collapsible along is diagonal fold line 25 or 26. When the carton is assembled, with the end structure closed, web structures 19 and 20 are disposed inside the carton as is well known.

For the purpose of locking the end structure in closed position, a closure panel 34 is foldably joined along end edge 35 to main panel 6 and one or more locking tabs such as 27, 28 and 29 cooperates with the locking slots 30, 31 and 32 formed substantially along the fold line 12.

For the purpose of receiving and stabilizing the flange F of a pie tin, a stabilizing slot 33 is formed in stabilizing panel 11. In FIG. 1 the flange F has not yet entered the stabilizing slot 33 because the folding of the end closure structure is depicted in FIG. 1 in an initial stage. In FIG. 3, the stabilizing panel 11 is shown in its normal closed position of general perpendicular relationship to the main bottom panel 1. In the position of FIG. 3, the flange F is disposed within the stabilizing slot 33. Since the outer edges 17 and 18 of positioning flaps 13 and 14 are curved, engagement of these outer edges with the inner surface of the closure panel 34 imparts an inward bowing action to the stabilizing panel 11 as is apparent in FIG. 3. The fold line 15 in FIG. 3 is thus curved rather than straight as shown in plan in FIG. 2. Preferably positioning flaps 13 and 14 are disposed in substantially flat face contacting relation to main panel 6 as best shown in FIG. 5 and are held in that position by the inherent fight of the material.

In order to complete the closing of the carton from the positions occupied by the various elements as shown in FIG. 3, the closure panel 34 is simply swung downwardly along its fold line 35 to occupy a position such as is generally designated in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the locking tab 29* is shown in its fully locked position within slot 32 whereas locking tabs 28 and 27 are shown in the positions which they occupy as the closing of panel 34 approaches the completely closed position.

The other end of the carton is identical structurally and functionally with the end described above and shown in the perspective views of the drawings and the parts at the other end of the carton are designated by corresponding numerals with the subscript a added to the various numerals for clarity.

Of course it is not necessary to use two positioning flaps such as 13 and 14, it being obvious that one or more such positioning flaps would suflice according to a feature of the invention. Furthermore, it is not necessary to lock the closure panel 25 closed by means of locking tabs such as 27- 29 and their associated locking slots such as 30-32. If desired, an application of glue or other means such as staples could be employed. Furthermore, it is ordinarily desirable to cause the stabilizing panel 11 to bow inwardly intermediate its ends although it is obvious that some other bowing action could be employed according to a feature of the invention depending primarily on the shape and configuration of the item packaged within the carton. While the web structure such as 19 and 20 constitute a worthwhile feature whereby the ends of stabilizing panel 11 are anchored, it will be understood that for certain applications of the invention it might be desirable to eliminate the web structure altogether.

While the carton as shown and described constitutes a desirable form of the invention, it is possible that for some applications it would be desirable for the top panel 6 to constitute a lid panel foldably joined along edge 7 of walls 3 and in such case a closure flap joined along edge 8 of panel 6 would be positioned in face contacting relation with the inside or outside surface of side wall 2.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A carton comprising a pair of parallel, spaced main panels and a pair of spaced parallel side walls, a stabilizing panel foldably joined to an end edge of one of said main panels and normally disposed in generally perpendicular relationship thereto, a closure panel foldably joined to the adjacent end edge of the other of said main panels and normally disposed in generally perpendicular relationship thereto, and at least one positioning flap foldably joined to the edge of said stabilizing panel remote from said one main panel and arranged with at least a portion of its outer edge in engagement with the inner surface of said closure panel, said positioning flap being disposed in substantially flat face contacting relation to the other of said main panels and said outer edge thereof being configured to cause said stabilizing panel to bow inwardly intermediate its ends, and a stabilizing slot formed in said stabilizing panel.

2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein collapsible web structure is foldably connected between each end edge of said stabilizing panel and the adjacent end edge of each of said side walls respectively.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,133,607 10/1938 Ehrlich. 3,037,684 6/1962 Andrews et al. 22939 X 3,229,890 1/1966 Wright 229-37 3,233,818 2/1966 Bixler et al 22939 2,067,126 1/1937 Knaur.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner S. E. LIPMAN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 20646; 229-14 

